


The Last Ultimate

by XIII4



Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blood and Injury, Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, Domestic Fluff, Gen, Minor Character Death, Mystery, Original Character(s), Post-New Dangan Ronpa V3, Pre-Canon, Slow Build, Tsumugi Shirogane-centric, Tsumugi is Chaotic Neutral, Unreliable Narrator
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2020-09-19
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:54:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26330698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XIII4/pseuds/XIII4
Summary: Shirogane Tsumugi wakes up, after being crushed by the huge boulder, in a world without the very thing she loved the most. Now, while navigating in a world that she could only dream of before, she tries to find herself once more while deciding which side is she on: The heroes? Villains? or neither? After all, this game of heroes and villains could very just as interesting as the killing game.Who would win, Hope created by Heroes or the Despair created by Villains?
Relationships: Shirogane Tsumugi & League of Villains, Shirogane Tsumugi & Meta Liberation Army, Shirogane Tsumugi & U.A Faculty
Comments: 11
Kudos: 52





	1. Birth of Unknown

_Something was wrong._

Slight ache beneath the skin, warmth rising from the chest. Mind clearing the fog that blocked the thoughts as she darkness that blocked the vision suddenly began to be overwhelmed with light. Something was wrong, as much as obvious, as someone who was crushed with a boulder should not be alive at this very moment. The feeling of lungs moving, the sound of breeze reaching the ears, those were things that one should not be possible to experience once again after death.

Shirogane Tsumugi knew something was wrong. . . because she felt _alive_.

She could hear the beating of her heart echoing in her mind, eyes still closed but she could notice light beyond it. Sheets feeling against her skin, but the most confusing of all is that she didn’t felt any pain at all. She should be feeling blinding pain, after being crushed headfirst by a boulder no one could be alive after that. In fact, she should not be breathing at all. It was her contract after all, if the game was to stop, she was going to be the last execution.

 _Shirogane Tsumugi_ was to die if the games stopped.

Footsteps echoed, approaching toward her. Her heart spiked, but calmed down immediately. She knew she wasn’t with someone of Team Danganronpa, none of them would’ve kept her alive because she was the last mastermind of their last killing game, and if her predictions were to be correct, the season 53 of Danganronpa was going to be the hated or loved by the public. Either way, hope and despair will rise from Danganronpa’s end.

“How is she, Doctor?” She heard the voice of a man speaking, kind and cheerful from the tone of it but was colored in a layer of seriousness. Were they talking about her? Not possible, nobody would care if she died.

Not that she minded, obviously.

“If she were to wake up she is not going to be able to talk or walk around for some time, all of her bones have cracks meaning that she was crushed or someone took the time to break each and single bone in her body.” The male voice who Tsumugi will consider the doctor says.

Tsumugi pried an eye open, to find that she could only feel one of her eyes opening. The other only gave black to its sight, it would be bandage, she assumed and she whirled her head to face the voices. She quickly took in with super precision the one who gave most impression.

A tall, odd-looking, middle-aged man with a prominently long, pointed nose and obtruding chin, as well as small, dark eyes. He has short, orange-brownish hair, set noticeably far up his forehead, a widow’s peak pointing downwards in the center, and he wears it swept back around his head. He also doesn’t have any visible eyebrows.

The doctor, however, was the most plain looking person beside herself that she had ever seen in her life.

A soft moan left her lips and both men looked at her in surprised, though the doctor looked like he was in a more state of shock.

“How. . .?” He was at loss of words.

The man in suit chuckled but quickly cleared his throat and signaled the man to go out. The doctor goes out in a hurry while shouting something to someone. The man in suit walked up to her, Tsumugi simply stared at him with curiosity. She had never seen this man before, nor how he was able to return her back to life, but she wanted to know who he was first so she can curse him in the afterlife after she sleeps again in this hallucination.

Because there is no way she is actually alive.

“You are awfully calm for someone who is in a hospital.” The man said before sitting in a chair beside the bed.

Tsumugi perked slightly at his words before looking around. The white walls and cerulean-blue curtain covering the windows, the fan in the ceiling spinning at a steady pace enough to produce wind. A night-desk beside the bed with flowers in a vase on top of it. She was in a hospital.

_Where am I?_

Tsumugi’s heart jumped to her throat but she quickly swallowed it back down. She will not allow someone who she does not know see a panicked face from her. Though, uncertainty was filling her mind. Where was she?

“My name is Yotsubashi Rikiya.” The man—Yotsubashi—introduced himself with a raised eyebrow. “Since your voice is damage and will not heal until a long time, you will answer my questions with blink. One blink; no, two blinks; yes, Is that okay with you?”

Tsumugi calmed her heart and blinked twice.

“Thanks for being honest.” Yotsubashi sighed with a sad smile. His smile turned into a frown as he looked at Tsumugi. “Do you know why you got admitted here?”

The blue-haired girl knew it was because of her injuries, but she wanted more information on her current situation. Knowledge is power.

She blinked once.

“I was strolling when I found you in an alley, bleeding all over the place. I was told that all of your bones were crushed and barely survive. i want to ask if you knew who did that to you?”

Tsumugi knew who did it, but she was not about to let someone who won against her fair and square take blame for her injuries. She backtracked on his statement and found what she needed to speak the truth but not completely.

Tsumugi didn’t know why she was in that alley.

She blinked once.

“So your memory also got damage. It makes sense. . .” Yotsubashi leaned back, a hand grabbing his chin as he narrowed his eyes down while staring at his lap. A sighed escaped his lips, and Tsumugi could feel that something will happen in the next minute. He looked back at her. “Do you have any living relatives?”

A blink.

A kind yet sad smile came to his face. “Do you want to come with me?”

_What. . .?_

“I can’t in good mind leave someone defenseless in my watch, especially someone who seems to be in the brink of death.” He waved his hands before leaning forward. “I will repeat; do you want to come with me?”

Tsumugi stared at Yotsubashi in surprise before sinking into her thoughts. This is her best opportunity to learn about her location and also have someone watching over her just in case. In her current condition, nobody sane would doubt her immediately. She would’ve to agree, if only because death is the next best thing awaiting her and Tsumugi doesn’t have a problem with.

She blinked twice.

“Excellent!” he clapped with a smile.

The doctor opened the door and walked inside. A nurse right behind her that began to check on Tsumugi as Yotsubashi and the doctor started talking. Fog began to plague her eyes, and her body grew tired. She didn’t hear what Yotsubashi told the doctor, but the latter nodded before he spoke once again.

“She is coming with me.” He said.

“Then let me prepare everything for her to be discharged, but let me tell you Mr. Yotsubashi, this is something very kind of you to do, your kindness is as big as your forehead.” The doctor noted.

“Thank you for your words.” Yotsubashi simply smiled, and Tsumugi began to closer her eyes slowly.

She heard the door closing once more.

“She is passing out.” Tsumugi heard the nurse saying.

“Is better for her to rest.” Yotsubashi told the nurse.

Shirogane Tsumugi closed her eyes, thinking that she will stay dead this time around.


	2. Curiosity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The cosplayer wakes up once again in the same world and gets to know how bizarre is her situation.
> 
> Tsumugi also gets to know a bit more about the world she is currently in.

Why... .?

_Tsumugi woke up with a gasp as she found herself looking at an unfamiliar ceiling. Her right hand above the blanket covering her body, light pierced her eyes but quickly grew accustomed to it before looking around._

_The room she was in was plain and simple. Pale-cerulean color for the walls with a pattern of waves, a fan in the corner pointing at the bed she was in. there was a wheel-chair on the side of the bed, and the door was directly facing her. Tsumugi was confused once again by her own unknown surroundings._

Why was am I still alive?

_The obvious thought was of no surprise to her. She thought that once she went to sleep once again she would be dead and in hell, or in limbo, she supposes, as she hadn’t killed actually anyone who hadn’t agreed to participate in the killing game in the first place. Her thoughts were racing fast, but she slowed down once she heard a click coming from the door. It opened to reveal a woman walking in._

_Tsumugi’s eye widened in shock and awe, and she knew she couldn’t possibly be alive. After all, the woman was something she had never seen before. Her analytical skills took over once more as she looked up and down at the woman._

_Long, pale lilac hair, worn parted to her left, full lips, and pale blue skin. Her eyes were unusual, in that her sclera was completely black whereas her eye irises were green, and her pupils were completely black. And they were framed by notably long eyelashes, wrinkles, and small eyebrows. She is wearing a navy blue, shoulder-less dress with long sleeves and an X-shaped belt with a circular buckle around her waist._

What was she? _Tsumugi didn’t know what kind of place she had just arrived. Not knowing something wasn’t good in her book._

_“Oh,” The woman noticed her awake. “What do we have here? Someone is awake, even with your current health for you to be up that quick. . . can you tell me why?” She leaned forward at her, and Tsumugi moved as much as she could away from her, which wasn’t much, more or less a few millimeters._

_“Kizuki, is she awake?” Yotsubashi’s voice rang out from the door, just outside of the view._

_“Sure thing and I need to know how is that possible!” The woman—Kizuki—exclaimed with an excited face, her eyes practically sparkling her emotions. She reminded Tsumugi of a participant of the season 52 of Danganronpa, a female participant super-curious that ended where she shouldn’t be and was killed because of it._

_“I explained to you she can’t talk just yet.”_

_Yotsubashi stepped into the room, wearing the same clothes as Tsumugi last saw him. His arms were crossed behind his back as he looked at Kizuki while raising an eyebrow. Kizuki grabbed the wheel-chair and put it in front of the bed, then walked toward her and scooped Tsumugi in her arms before gently putting her in the wheel-chair._

_Tsumugi cocked her head, her face contorting with confusion._

_Yotsubashi noticed her expression as he stepped out of the room. “I will explain when we are there. Kizuki, let’s go.”_

_Tsumugi didn’t know where she was being taken, but she could at least try to get to know which limb was functioning at least. She knows for a fact that her legs aren’t, apparently the force of the boulder practically obliterated her bones, she can presume that. Some of her memories are gone as well since blanks spaces are in her mind. She can remember the killing games perfectly, but anything before them she can’t recall._

_She moved her left arm and felt a tingle but nothing much. Her hand didn’t move no matter how much she tried to. She tried her right one and managed to move her arm and the hand and they did. Now she knew she could move her right arm completely, even if it was a little sore for some reason._

_“Hey, hey,” Kizuki called out to her by nudging her cheek gently. Tsumugi looked at him, blank face with curious eyes. “Are you testing your limbs?”_

_The blue-haired girl nodded. Kizuki poked again._

_“You don’t feel discomfort? Or any kind of pain?” The blue woman asked another question, cocking her head to the side._

_Tsumugi, this time, shook her head._

_“If she was in any discomfort or pain, I think she would have explicitly signaled it.” Yotsubashi said as he went inside the car. When did they arrive there? Tsumugi looked back and noticed that she was in a plain-looking house that didn’t stand out at all surrounded by trees, there was a city in the distance._

_Fitting, for her at least. Away from people, all alone._

_“I haven’t written anything about her ever since you brought her a day ago, not my fault I was asking important questions for her well-being.” Kizuki retorted, but threw was a smirk on her face as she opened the door and carried Tsumugi inside of the car._

_“Fair. . .” Yotsubashi nodded in agreement._

_Tsumugi can tell that the woman will be a pain or a blessing in the future. She didn’t know why, but she felt a little connection to the woman putting her inside of the luxurious car. The car engine started and Yotsubashi rode them toward a tower._

* * *

“ _Quirks?_ ” Tsumugi wrote down her question on the phone she was given and the speaker beside her spoke those words for her.

Kizuki-san, who was looking down at her notes of news that happened a few hours ago, looked up from the laptop to look at her in curiosity while tilting her head.

They were in her office since Yotsubashi had to do something that he spoke nothing of. Tsumugi didn’t think too much of it, as there was no actual reason for her to doubt that he wants her alive at least since nothing has happened in the last few days since she’d woken up in the hospital bed without knowing how.

At least she knew she wasn’t in her world.

“What happened? Why are you asking such a thing?” The blue-skinned woman asked.

“ _The concept seems foreign to me._ ” Tsumugi wrote as fast as she could.

Tsumugi learned to play the card of using her recovering brain as a method to gain information. Kizuki-san has been kind enough to answer her questions to the last detail, though there are somethings that had taken a little bit of time to sink in her mind.

Like quirks.

“People are born with a quirk and gain an ability, it could be from inheritance like from your parents or a mutation, the first one in the family line,” Kizuki informed while she twirled with a pencil between her fingers. “No quirk is completely identical to another, except in a few cases.”

“ _So is basically genetic to its core, right. You are born with it or without it?_ ”

“Correct, though those without quirk are seen as a minority and are not treated well, I don’t know about another city as accepting of them as Deika City,” Kizuki said before going back to her work after throwing a quick question. “Can I ask if you have one?”

“ _I think I do. . ._ ” Tsumugi wrote with hesitation.

She didn’t know if her talent could be considered a quirk, she didn’t know if her talent would even work in this place. Kizuki-san told her that in Deika city people treat quirkless humans with acceptance but she had no way of knowing that as she never had been in that city.

Tsumugi had found this world to be strange—ignoring the fact that Danganronpa didn’t exist nor there was any information on it—she had also found that she was practically in the future, at least four hundred years forward of the year she was on.

The information she was getting per day was almost minimal, as the doctor had explained that she was to not use electronics too much due to her eyes recovering. Putting the phone in her lap, Tsumugi pushed her glasses and fixated them back into her face before going back to see the internet.

There were a lot of articles about the origin of Quirks, heroes, and villains—

~~Hope and Despair.~~

—and other things that she found noteworthy of a quick read. One of them being the hero schools or discrimination toward people with dangerous quirks. Her mind drifted toward Harukawa and her talent, how the rest was quick to distrust her when they found out about her true talent.

Honestly, in her mind, it was too stupid. If the people who had dangerous quirks were to simply try to take over the world, who was to stop them from doing it? _The heroes,_ Tsumugi’s mind quickly interjected, _but there is a problem_. If the heroes were to die because of those with dangerous quirks—because no one taught them how to have hope in the future. . .

Wouldn’t that bring the biggest of despairs? 

And in return, the brightest of hope will rise from that despair. And the cycle will begin anew through eternity. 

Like a _game_.

Like _Danganronpa_. 

~~She didn’t know why, but she hates that name for some reason.~~

But the game wasn’t fair for the villains, they have everything against them. Which if they manage to not be capture will create hope for them.

Taking a deep breath, Tsumugi felt almost as if a headache was coming her way. Then, she noticed something. A news article about something that happened in Musufatu. She read the headline, about a slime monster and two middle-school students— ~~how old was she anyway?~~ —And what happened.

Bakugou Katsuki and the other student were unnamed, apparently, he was deemed unimportant. Tsumugi gave a quick read through the whole chapter trying to use the Ultimate Writer ability to simply read one time and know everything written in there. When she finished, she gave a sighed before massing her forehead. If the news were as she thought they were, the whole story wasn’t written in there to try and make this Bakugou kid look better than he is. An explosion quirk in a hostage situation. . . She hopes he never tries to become a hero.

Because God knows how many villains will sprout because of him.

“ _Can I ask for information on Bakugou Katsuki?_ ”

“Why would you want information on that kid?” Kizuki asked, and Tsumugi blinked in surprise. “Yeah, I read about him just before you did, got curious. Good story, not entirely true, but painting the kid for a good future.”

“ _Can I have it?_ ”

“Sure enough kid, knowing the basics of future heroes would not kill you.”

Tsumugi smiled, wherever of happiness or because she got what she wanted, was even lost to her.

* * *

In the room of reunions, Rikiya and his lieutenants were having a meeting.

“What do you think of her?” Rikiya asked Kizuki.

“She asked for information in Bakugou Katsuki, nothing more than that.” She simply said as she leaned back on her chair.

“And what did you give her?” Hanabata Koku inquired. 

“The basics, of course. I will not give someone my discoveries without knowing that person too well.” Kizuki answered before grabbing the tablet in her hands. It had a lot of cameras in the house where Shirogane Tsumugi was right now. It showed her looking at her phone while on the bed, eyes too focused as if she was studying for an exam. “But she is a mystery! I like mysteries.”

“Calm your curiosity, Kizuki,” Hanabata told her, appeasing the woman. “We must not scare her so she can help us in the future to repay our kindness of helping her.”

“With what?” The blue-skinned woman asked.

“With being a spy for us!” Chikazoku Tomoyasu quickly said. “Re-Destro’s plan is clear as day, use her as a way to have someone inside of a hero academy and gather information for us.”

“Correct.” Rikiya knew his reasoning for saving the girl wasn’t the best, but if he could achieve his goal then it didn’t matter much.

He would, of course, try to turn the girl to his ideology to ensure that she will not try anything against them. Rikiya could feel that Shirogane is a wild card, someone without background, and a plain-looking girl that could blend easily in the background while gathering information.

“Kizuki.”

“Yes?”

“Earn her trust and try to turn them into our ideology. In the name of Destro.” Rikiya made the sign on his forehead with his hand.

The rest in the room did the same.

Rikiya Yotsubashi felt that hope could shine on his path brighter than it ever was.


	3. Fragments of Bond

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tsumugi gets closer to Kizuki and finally gets to walk once again. 
> 
> She makes an interesting discovery at the end of the day.

Somewhere during her research, sleep took over her. Her dream—if they could be considered as such—was nothing but a mumble jumble of words and images flashing across her mind without stopping. One of them stood the most for some reason, it filled her with sadness and anger, the image of a man kneeling down in front of her while hugging her.

Tsumugi flattered her eyes open and slide them toward the door, where Kizuki-san stood watching her with curious eyes.

“Hello, there, Shiro-chan.” Kizuki greeted while waving her hand. She looked recently awake. “How have you slept?”

 _Fine. . ._ Tsumugi wanted to say but quickly made an ok sign with her right hand.

“Good enough, then.”

Kizuki walked closer to the bed and grabbed the wheel-chair. Tsumugi noticed that she was wearing a simply black-dress instead of the usual clothes she wears every day she sees her. Which is adamantly every single day since she’d woken up. The woman edges closer to the bed, and scooped her in her arms, to later put her gently in the wheel-chair.

“Do you anything in that you want to eat for breakfast?” Kizuki asked as she pushed the wheel-chair outside of the bedroom. Tsumugi looked down at the pocket in the inner right side of the chair and grabbed the phone inside of it before quickly typing out her answer.

“ _Bread and eggs._ ”

“Only that?” Tsumugi nodded. Kizuki cocked her head confused. “Why would you want to eat something. . . _so_ _plain_ when you can have anything you want? It’s on the house.”

The blue-haired girl deadpanned at the blue-skinned woman’s words before retyping once again. “ _Bread and eggs._ ”

“If you want.” Kizuki ceded and pushed Tsumugi to the dinner table in the dining room.

It was a small dining room with a table and four chairs, nothing special. A T.V was in a table glued to the wall, practically. It was small but enough to notice small details from movies or shows, which was enough for Tsumugi to be entertained with its programs since they are different from what she is accustomed back then. . .

. . .Before the killing games.

Kizuki turned on the T.V only the news channel, which made Tsumugi roll her eyes slightly. Quickly growing bored of what is being shown, she reached out to her phone and quickly pulled some videos she saw on the internet about heroes and villains they’d defeated before, the latter with the one chance in six of escaping due to the hero getting cocky.

“ _Are all heroes like this?_ ” Tsumugi typed on her phone.

“Like what?” Kizuki wasn’t looking away from the eggs she is cooking. The bread popped-up from the toaster.

“ _Not doing their jobs because of their ego. Also, why are there so many incompetent heroes?_ ”

“Shiro-chan, your views of heroes would be considered bad in most parts of Japan. You should tone them down a little bit.” Kizuki informed as she glanced at Tsumugi. The girl took note of those words before nodding.

The woman continued. “Besides, Hero Society is very complex these days. Some of them are genuine, while others are there for money, fame, or having the ability to look down on those below them without being arrogant in their views.”

Tsumugi wondered what she could find when she manages to access the darkest places of the web of this world. “ _Still. . ._ ”

 _“—Crimes have dropped ever since All Might came back from America, this is a true peace we are experiencing people, we hope that All Might doesn’t go to another country anytime soon. In other news. . ._ ” The newscaster on the T.V said with a huge smile on his face, relief crossing his eyes from what Tsumugi could see.

 _The Symbol of Hope. . ._ Tsumugi thought nothing especial of him in particular. She saw a lot of news regarding him a mysterious yet the number one hero in Japan. Japan’s literal symbol of hope. The light in their dark ages, but Tsumugi knew that once that light disappeared despair will begin to settle in.

She would need protection if that day arrived quicker than she would like to.

“. . .And here,” Kizuki slid a plate with eggs and toast in front of Tsumugi, who blinked and quickly grabbed a piece of bread and shove in her mouth. The girl managed to move her legs slightly, the feeling of pain finally passing from her lower body. “What do you think of quirks?”

Tsumugi looked at her with confusion, with eyes asking ‘what are you asking about?’.

“Sorry, that question was out of the blue. . .” Kizuki rested her head on the back of her hands. A smile adorned her face, as she looked intrigued by something. “Curiosity got the best of me. What I meant is, if you think quirks are essential to society nowadays?”

Tsumugi pondered about the question. Her thought going quick but informative about why the woman who took care of her for the last week was asking such a random question all of a sudden. Tsumugi knew it was something important because Kizuki added the last part as if it held great meaning.

The gleam in the woman’s eyes when she said that was not lost to Tsumugi. It was the same eyes she has when talking about Danganronpa.

Eyes of someone who does what the people desire to see.

Tsumugi typed out. “ _Not necessarily, people are still the same without their quirks, even if some change the person at its core. Humanity was able to thrive without quirks and heroes all those years ago, they can do it once again_.”

Never underestimate human nature. Was the very first thing she learned that was ingrained in her mind.

“Oh. . .” Kizuki cooed, eyebrow raised. “What do you think about the restrictions of quirks?”

 _These are very specific questions._ Tsumugi realized. She was being asked this for a reason

“ _If quirks are something humans are born with then why the restriction of quirks on those quirks that are harmless to society. I can understand the quirks that could cause genocide on the spot, but the harmless ones should be free to use._ ” Tsumugi typed out after much deliberation.

Kizuki smiled. “I think you have a good head on your shoulders, Shiro-chan.” The woman stood up and patted Tsumugi’s head. The girl was confused by the action but didn’t do anything to stop it, only continued to eat her breakfast.

She felt like she grew closer to the woman.

But she had to prepare. Today was an important day, after all. She had to be full of energy.

~~She was not about to comment about the mini-microphone on Kizuki’s dress. It was probably for the best.~~

* * *

Rikiya stared at Shirogane as she drank a glass of water that the doctor handed to her.

They were sitting in the room of a hospital, a VIP one, and they were waiting for the full diagnose of Shirogane’s condition. Rikiya had to give it to the girl, she was calm in the times of her disability that it felt that she expected to be in that condition in the first place. It was something that plagued his mind, but he had the decency to at least wait for her recovery to ask questions.

“What’s the verdict, doctor?” Rikiya asked with a smile once the doctor stepped into the room.

The doctor gave a half-smile and looked at Shirogane, who was swinging her feet on the bed. Her face would change from relaxed to pain, she would stop and then do it again. Rikiya understood quickly that she wanted to get accustomed to the pain so it wouldn’t inconvenience her in the future.

“She is fine, for the most part. Her eyes are cured and her legs recovered nicely. Her throat will still need two weeks to be able to speak once again, but other than that she is good to go.”

“That’s good.” He replied, and looked over to the girl.

Shirogane nodded in acceptance of her condition, she quickly got down of the bed and walked in circles on the spot. After a few moments, she grabbed her phone and typed out.

“Being able to walk is enough for me.”

“Is good that you are taking this well. I should write something for you in case something happens and you need to go a hospital in a hurry.” The doctor said before going out of the room.

“Shirogane-chan.” Rikiya began. The girl faced him, eyebrow raised. “I’ve been thinking about it a lot; do you wish to go to school?”

After a few moments, the girl typed out. “ _I’m not opposed to it._ ”

Which was good in Rikiya’s opinion, a good education leads to a good life. He could also use this opportunity to weasel a spy inside of a hero school without suspecting too much. Still, he needed to the assurance of the cooperation of Shirogane before he did anything, he didn’t want his plan to go awry.

“Would you like to go to U.A?” 

“ _I plainly have no interest in being a hero._ ” Shirogane quickly wrote. Rikiya simply waved as a laugh escaped his lips.

“Not necessary, you can go for the general course.”

“ _Fine, then_.” She nodded and went back to walk in circles.

Rikiya found that in the girl very interesting. People would normally jump at the opportunity of being a hero, having money or glory or simply being a good person. But Shirogane is not, her views of good and evil—he found—were completely different from anyone her age.

She was far more mature than she looked like, which gave the possibility of her understanding of his goals.

Another thing he found interesting about her. Shirogane had never told what was her quirk—if she even had one, that is. Most likely she had one—and it was making Curious crazy for the most part, the woman was looking at the girl as if she was another great mystery of the world.

S _he could be, perfectly._ Rikiya muttered in his mind as he raised an eyebrow.

Shirogane was almost back in action from an injury that would mean death for almost the entirety of the population in the world, in only less than a month. That couldn’t be the deed done by someone without a strong quirk, he wanted to know what quirk she had but prying it out of her would make the trust she has on him vanish.

Though, Kizuki was getting closer to the girl. So he wasn’t all that worried, but Rikiya wanted to be safe.

Buzz in his pocket, he took out his phone. Cursing under his breath, he walked outside of the room silently as he called someone.

“What happened?” He whispered—demanded, was a better word. “Why do you call me at this hour? I told you not to disturb me.”

“ _Well, Mr. Yotsubashi_.” The man on the other side began with fear. “ _We have some problems with the prototype. We need you here to oversee and spot what is that you are looking for exactly.”_

Rikiya sighed, the incompetence of some men was astonishing for him. He would’ve to find so better scientist to perform the experiments and create his products because he shouldn’t have to worry about something like this, enough was on his plate with his hidden occupation and his CEO position.

“Very well, I will go there.” Rikiya said, although he was feeling very furious in the inside, he didn’t let it show in his voice. Anger will lead to nothing, that is not the way to do things in this world.

He walked back into the room where Shirogane is and found her sitting in the bed cross-legged while watching her phone with full attention, her eyes practically glued to the screen of the phone. Shirogane ignored his existence for a couple of seconds before looking up from her phone and waved as if asking “What happened?”

“I need to go to oversee something in particular.” Rikiya said, watching the girl nod, as a thought occurred to him, but he will speak of it tomorrow. “Let’s get you home.”

Shirogane nodded, grabbed her personal belonging that she brought, and walked with him toward the exit of the hospital.

* * *

Tsumugi walked toward the door of her house after Yotsubashi left her on the sidewalk in front of her home. Her legs were functioning just fine, and she was grateful for him leaving her so near the house, but she began to miss the plainly good times of not having to worry about walking.

 _Oh, wait, Kizuki-san should have left a while ago._ Tsumugi thought as she reached for her keys. She stepped into the house and saw most of the lights off, and the growing darkness behind her, finally made her realize how long she had been in the hospital.

It didn’t surprise her though, having destroyed bones should’ve left her bed-ridden for the rest of her life.

~~Not that she wanted to live, anyway.~~

Tsumugi went to her room and noticed how the stairs were finally steps instead of half steps on the right and half slide on the left. It must be the work of a quirk, as there is no other way that was done so quickly.

She walked inside of her room and dropped onto the mattress and took a deep breath. Her research in the hospital had been throughout. She had investigated more about All Might and found something concerning about it, not for him obviously, his hope meant nothing to her, but because of the consequences that it would bring.

He was appearing less and less.

The symbol of Hope was disappearing from the public eye. Something that Tsumugi knew meant things were not right with him.

“. . .Either he is taking a vacation or. . . he is dying, because there is no way someone considered the symbol of hope wouldn’t be seen so much in the streets.” Tsumugi muttered against the pillow. If the latter was correct, then Despair will come sooner than she’d expected.

She had gained the favor of Kizuki and Yotsubashi, the latter to a certain extent, so she wasn’t really worried. But one must not understatement human nature. It was plainly obvious someone was bound to be the next greatest despair of humanity, or at least Japan.

“The game is unbalanced in the favor of heroes. . .” Tsumugi rolled in her bed until her face is looking at the ceiling. “but once All Might is gone the stakes will be even. Hope or Despair, which will thrive in the end.”

If hopes win in the end, life will get fairly boring. If despair wins, life will be quiet dangerous. A mixture of both would be good. Excitement yet security. Consent about something dangerous that people enjoy.

~~Like Danganronpa.~~

“Eh?” Blinking, Tsumugi noticed something in her night-desk. It was a book, one that she hadn’t known she put there. Now that she thinks about it, she didn’t have any books in this house. It should belong to Kizuki.

The book’s title was “Meta Liberation Army” by someone named Destro.

Tsumugi shrugged and began to read it. She had nothing better do to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter: Tsumugi finally meets the liberation army and her quirk gets finally discovered. An agreement is made, and bonds grow closer.
> 
> \------------------  
> If there is any grammar mistake, please do tell me.


	4. Bleak Hope

Light peered from behind the curtain and her eyelids blinked unconsciously. Narrowing her eyes, she rubbed her face after taking the glasses off her face. Light? Why was there light? It should be night time at the moment because she knows she couldn’t have possibly been reading and analyzing the book for more than two hours.

“What?!” Tsumugi shouted once she saw the time on her phone. It was morning, she had spent an entire night reading and quite possibly investigating a single book that caught her attention. “This is plainly ridiculous.”

She got up from the bed, and walk to her restroom to wash her face. Pulling an all-nighter wasn’t uncommon for her, being obsessed with the games and trying to come up with more plots and stories was time-consuming but not impossible to go forever and ever trying to make the games exciting for the people.

If she was to do something, she would do it thoroughly.

Quickly going back, she changed into shorts and a hoodie, she was not to go out today for some reason Kizuki still had to explain to her. It’s not like she was going to disobey someone who had control of what happens to her next, she was not stupid.

“I wonder who was Destro. . .” She mumbled as she walked outside of the room.

His world views were interesting and different from the rest of Japan. Tsumugi wondered if he was seen as a madman for wanting to give people a way to live without fear, having the right to use their quirks without fearing the restrictions.

Well, he is a madman for involving people who wanted nothing to do with the battle.

Kizuki was the one who left that book there, Tsumugi was sure of that, which meant the visions of the woman aligned with those of Destro. Tsumugi can get the message, she is smart and doesn’t fear people using quirks—Talents—that they were _born_ with and didn’t decide. But doing it at plain sight is stupid beyond belief, words can win more battles than fights.

“People who hoped to be free were apprehended. Their hopes crushed and despair settle in, wouldn’t be surprising if most of them became villains.” Tsumugi muttered and heard someone knocking on the door. She puts the book in the dining room and walks toward the door.

“Who is it?”

“Shiro-chan! Let us in!” Kizuki’s voice sounded from behind the door, he voiced excited and full of emotion. She may have found something great today and made a great story.

“You are with Yotsubashi-san?”

“Yep!”

Tsumugi opened the door slowly. Kizuki and Yotsubashi were standing there, in their usual attires, and both of them with a pleasant face. The girl stepped away from the door, and both adults made their way into the living room. Tsumugi went to grab the book and quickly walked to the living room.

“Kizuki-san.,” The woman looked at her. Tsumugi showed the book in her hand. “Did you left this book yesterday.” 

“The Meta Liberation Army book.” Yotsubashi said under his breath—and she almost didn’t hear him—as though he understood something beyond Tsumugi what she knew about the book. She had to be careful now, _very_ careful about what she said.

“Ah, yes!” Kizuki said as she grabbed the book with her fingers before putting it on her purse. “Did you read it?”

“Yes, well,” Tsumugi began to formulate the words in her mind, she should try to sound as friendly as possible and understanding after seeing both of their stares, she had seen them before somewhere and knew what was going to await her if she said something wrong. Playing safe was of no cowards if it meant being alive in the end. “I found it on my night-desk and read it after reading the title, I found it both fascinating but. . .”

“But. . .? Shirogane-chan, please be honest with us, what do you think about the book?” Yotsubashi asked, fingers intertwined with each other as he looked at her expectantly. Kizuki was also looked at her intently.

Time to be blunt but not too much.

“I think the methods that Destro used were stupid and were still terrorism at the end of the day.” She bluntly said, face blank without showing emotions.

There were things that she quickly noticed after saying those words. Kizuki’s eyes flashed between something akin to anger and sadness, while Yotsubashi simply displayed sadness on his face as his hand rubbed the back of his neck gently. Tsumugi knew now that they didn’t think the same as her, but she could still salvage the situation, as she didn’t want to be kicked to the curb.

“Is that so, what is your reasoning for those words?”

“I—” Tsumugi began to say when she suddenly felt a chill down her spine, something she only could feel from someone with a killer intent stronger than Harukawa’s. Her eyes slid toward Yotsubashi, who was looking at her very much not happy with her words. Salvage or die, those were her options, she knew that. 

She wasn’t going to die so easily, or at least without seeing a clash of heroes and villains. she wanted to see what humanity of this world will choose. She looked down as she steeled herself.

“—What I mean is. . . that attacking the government to convey a message or get something done is terrorism, Destro was naïve in that thinking that his message would get across many people if he started all of a sudden like that, it wouldn’t work. Besides, people like complacency more than anything, so if normal people that lived peacefully when quirks are regulated that is obvious that they would dislike the very thing that kept them safe. His approach was stupid but his message makes sense, at least to me.” She mumbled the last part.

If someone told her that if she cosplayed in public she would get in trouble, then she would be mad too. No one dares to take away her cosplay, _no one_.

Not looking up, she felt someone hugging. Her eyes quickly caught the blue color and she knew it was Kizuki, but why the woman suddenly hugged was lost to her.

“ _Thank you. . ._ ” Kizuki said whispering, almost as if she was relieved of Tsumugi’s words. The girl stood there confused but said nothing as she tilted her head.

“Then, Shirogane-chan. I think we need to have a long-awaited talk.” Yotsubashi said standing up from his seat and began to walk toward the door. He walked outside and Kizuki grabbed her hand gently, Tsumugi was mostly confused but at least she knew that she wasn’t going to die just yet.

What was going to happen?

* * *

“ _Thank you. . ._ ”

Chitose had never felt so much relief in her whole life. It was an interesting feeling, something that brought her the question of when did she stop feeling relief like this toward people. It was something that was quickly buried as she hugged Shiro-chan harder.

Re-Destro’s words were tuned out from her ears, but she got the hang of it. She honestly felt like she was about to burst with joy and excitement, but she had to ensure that Shiro-chan would be comfortable for what was about to happen. She didn’t want someone under her care to grow suspicious of her or even resent her.

She grabbed the girl’s hands, gently and pulled her closer to her own body. Chitose could feel the confusion of Shiro-chan as she was practically glued to the girl.

“Kizuki-san,” Shiro-chan started. “Where are we going?” she asked, a perfectly normal question in this circumstance.

“Don’t worry, nothing bad will happen to you. Yotsubashi-san needs to talk to you about something important, that’s all.” Chitose reassured with a soothing voice, this had to go smoothly. She wouldn’t want to choose between Re-Destro and Shiro-chan, because she would always choose re-Destro.

“Ok?” Shiro-chan was confused, as much as obvious to anyone.

Chitose knew that the girl’s suspicion would only grow further the moment they arrived at the backyard of the house. Chitose looked down at her, and found her looking up at her with eyes of pure confusion before sliding her eyes back at Re-Destro.

He looked around the backyard and walked toward a rock before pressing it down with his foot.

A slight shook on the ground and Chitose began to walk toward the man. She gently tugged Shiro-chan’s hand and both of them moved. Beside the rock that Re-Destro just pressed, there was the metal doors of a basement that he asked someone to build just in case he decided to interrogate someone but couldn’t do it in the main base.

The door opened, sliding into the ground beside them. Re-Destro looked back at them, then moved and walked down the stairs, his footsteps echoing into the background as he faded into the darkness that crept the basement’s depth.

Chitose began to go down the stairs and darkness clouded her eyes, but even so she still knew that she had to go straight no matter what. She gripped Shiro-chan’s hand, not wanting to let go of her, as they continued to go forward.

Then, after a few more steps into the basement, round lights from the fire could be seen. Candles in the walls, giving the hallways they currently are a completely eerie feeling. At the end of the hallway, there was a door. 

Re-Destro was there waiting for them, he noticed their presence and walked inside of the room without much of a thought. The darkness vanished in the presence of light, and the hallway lit up and its colors were revealed.

It was an elegant hallway with white walls and floor tiled in quartz—all of it hidden beneath lurking darkness—the candles were still alight but they gave off a completely different feeling than before. It gave novelty instead of the feeling of fear that could give off to some people—even the bravest of heroes would feel off—and it was purposely designed that way just in case someone who shouldn’t be down here was making their way down here.

“Here.” Chitose softly said as she walked through the door.

Shiro-chan nodded.

The room was not small by any means. It was big enough to be a living room from a small mansion. Three-door in each of the three walls, each one of them leads to a different room. There were four small couches in the middle of the room, a T.V in the side of all of them nearby the left wall, big enough to cost hundreds of dollars. 

The walls were a light oceanic blue, and the floor was made of concrete with a small layer of wood on top of it to give the illusion of being complete floor made out of wood.

“Sit, if you would be so kind.” Re-Destro said toward Shiro-chan. The blue-haired girl tilted her head but nodded either way.

Shiro-chan sat on the couch farthest of him, which was understandable, and Chitose chose to sit next to her. The atmosphere was slightly tense, if one were to cut the air with a knife you could barely see the knife cutting the tension. Re-Destro clapped his hands, and the T.V turned on. A documentary about the Liberation Army rolling on the screen.

“Then let’s do proper introductions because I want your full trust on request I want to ask you.” Re-Destro began, he cleared his throat before an image of Destro—his father—popped on the screen. “My name is Yotsubashi Rikiya, the son of the man who wrote the book about the Liberation Army.”

Shiro-chan’s mouth opened a little, and her eyes showed a slight surprise. Then she closed her mouth and stared at Re-Destro, as though cogs in her mind were turning around and formulating something Chitose wanted to ask about.

She would have to put her curiosity aside for now, if only for _now_.

“Son of Destro?” Shiro-chan muttered under her breath, her mouth blocked by her hand. She stood still for a second before she whirled her entire body to face Chitose. “So that’s why you made those questions back then.”

“Yes, I was curious about your views on quirks. But your views on heroes and villains were refreshing too.” Chitose declared, eyes sparkling.

Chitose had been fascinated with the mind of Shiro-chan when she talked about heroes and villains, about how each side was wrong no matter what, and the paradoxical existence they were. Chitose still can recall the words that Shiro-chan said:

_“As long as there are heroes, there is going to be villains. if there are no heroes, villains would also exist and that would bring heroes. No matter what, they need each other to exist. At the end of the day, villains are more true to their wants while heroes hid it behind a façade. Who is more human? The one who lives their lives honestly, no matter which side that person favors.” Shiro-chan said._

_“Which side do you favor?” Chitose asked._

_Shiro-chan shrugged, before looking at her with a smile. “I’ll be in the side which stands victorious at the end. This everlasting game has its breaks sometimes before it goes back to the same thing.”_

It was something interesting.

“Shirogane-chan,” Re-Destro got the attention of the girl. “Do you remember when I told you about going to school?”

Shiro-chan nodded.

He gave a kind smile before continuing. “I will be honest, I want you to be our eyes inside of U.A in case something happens and I also want you to join my cause.”

“Your cause being. . .” The girl trailed off as she pointed at the screen.

“Correct. I want you to join us, for the sake of a future where quirks are not restricted. What do you say?” Re-Destro inquired.

Shiro-chan seemed to be lost in thoughts as soon as Re-Destro stopped speaking. Her face went blank and her eyes seemed to still themselves, soon enough, they began to swirl slightly. Her eyes soft teal eyes intensifying their color into an eerie blue, her hair also began to become wavier.

~~Chitose thought that in one of her eyes there is a V and in the other there is a 3.~~

“With one condition.” Shiro-chan told, a finger raised and her voice calm.

“Which is?”

“I will tell information if I see that the heroes may have an upper hand on you schemes.”

“Why is that?” Re-Destro asked.

“Because it would be funny.” Shiro-chan said. “In this game of heroes and villains, there is a hidden boss that will fight both. The villains are already losing to the heroes, but if the heroes are weak against the hidden boss, then the hidden boss is the strongest in the chain.”

“Glad to have you aboard, Shirogane Tsumugi.” Re-Destro said, standing up from his seat as he extended an arm to Shiro-chan.

“It would be good to be under your protection, Yotsubashi-san.” Shiro-chan nodded. Chitose smiled at the exchange, the future holds a lot of hope for the Liberation Army.

* * *

“Kizuki-san,” Tsumugi calls out the woman once they are outside of the basement. Yotsubashi has already been long gone as he had an emergency call about something in his company.

“Yeah?” Kizuki said.

“I have to show you something.”

Kizuki cocked her head to the side, but followed Tsumugi to the backyard. They both stood around a little mountain of rocks, Tsumugi kneeled and grabbed one of them into her hand before inspecting it.

Tsumugi felt a tingle sensation on her hands and felt a shift in her body ever so slightly. The tips of her hand turned a hue of blue, and she looked up to watch Kizuki looking at her with curiosity. Tsumugi purses her lips before throwing the rock upwards, the thing went up in the air and before it reached its peak Tsumugi pressed her thumb against the palm of her hand.

The rock blew up; its sound was muted but it was enough for someone to notice if they were nearby. Kizuki’s eyes widened in shock as she took a step back before she looked down at Tsumugi.

“Shiro-chan? But that’s. . .” Kizuki was at loss of words.

“If anyone asks, you are my mother. We should prepare for the background for when I am in U.A.” Tsumugi said. As a matter of fact, her mind had been tasked with doing that the moment she accepted to be a part of an organization that helps no heroes or villains if there wasn’t any gain from it. “What’s the name of your quirk?”

“Landmine.” Kizuki replied after growing out of her shock. “Shiro-chan, what’s your quirk?”

Tsumugi went silent, she had no name for her ability that was in fact simply her talent toned down to simply copying abilities. If she needed a name for the thing she will begin to call her quirk, then it had to be personal above anything else. A thought crossed her mind, and a sad smile grew in her face.

“My quirk’s name is Copycat.”

~~After all, she was asked to cosplay Shirogane Tsumugi, to copy her. To be the lie that has yet to die.~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter: Tsumugi arrives at Musufatu and meets a hero fanatic green-haired boy.
> 
> \-------------------------------------  
> Quirks Cosplayabe:  
> -Landmine(Acquired)


	5. Growing Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After six month, Tsumugi finally arrives at Musufatu.
> 
> He meets someone interesting in her opinion.

“So this is Musufatu. . .”

The sun was in high noon, and the wind blew a gentle wind. People walked in the streets, some going in the subway and others going out from there.

Amongst them all, Tsumugi leaned against a concrete pillar as she looked around, taking in her surroundings and trying to come up with a way to simply look as plain as possible.

It has been six months since she had joined the Liberation Army, and now she was given her first _official_ mission that every member of the Army knows about. At least only those who knew how to keep their mouth shut, as some of them, she knew, were called out by Yotsubashi to never be seen again.

And now she was to be sent to U.A to be their spy inside of their ranks.

Tsumugi pushed her glasses up before she leaned forward, her left hand clutching a map of the city as she looked around. Quickly nodding to herself, she moved alongside the crowd without trying to touch anybody.

When she reached a few meters ahead, she quickly diverted through an alley and looked at the map. She more or less memorizes her way using the Ultimate Analyzer to locate the building of her new home from her current position.

_There._ She thought, pointing a finger toward the direction of her new home. The sun casts a shadow that pointed at the opposite direction with her shadow, and the wind grew more violent. Clouds quickly covered the sky, and rain began to pour down. _Just my luck._

The blue-cerulean haired girl quickly moved through the streets seeking shelter from the rain, and she found a café that was open. She stood below the window umbrella and watched the people run toward various places on the streets.

Her phone vibrated, and taking it out she saw that a villain with a weather quirk was creating havoc on the city. Suddenly, she received a call from Kizuki.

A call that was not meant to be made until afterward Tsumugi reached her new place.

“Hello, Kizuki-san?”

“ _Hey, you know how to call me._ ”

“ _Sorry_.” Tsumugi quickly amended her words. “Hello, Chitose-san.”

A sigh from the other end of the call. “ _More than enough, and from your voice I assume that you are fine. Is the villain somewhere near you?_ ”

“No, I think she is very far away.” Tsumugi replied, and quickly did a fact check with her mind.

From the little time she had to read, the female villain was robbing a bank from the looks of it and was currently running away from the heroes that arrive, mainly Kamui Woods and Mt. Lady.

“ _That’s good_.” Chitose’s voice said with relief. “ _Good to hear that you are all right, you still sure that you are fine?_ ”

Some warmth came to Tsumugi’s heart. Her relationship with the woman was something she hadn’t taken into consideration as they grew closer each day for the last six months. Tsumugi saw her as some kind of mother figure and she is sure Chitose saw her as some kind of adopted daughter at this point.

“Yes, I’m fine. I only got wet from being caught off guard. I think this villain needs to _chill_ a little bit.”

Chitose laughed. “ _If you got time for bad jokes then you are fine. Go home safely, I’ll arrive tomorrow to at least make your story more believable._ ”

She clicked off the call.

Tsumugi noticed that the rain stopped falling and quickly checked her phone. _ALL MIGHT, ANOTHER VILLAIN CAUGHT_! A headline said as a picture of said villains capture by All Might below appeared on her view.

Pocketing her phone, she looked at the map once again and began to walk toward her destination.

The views of Musufatu were totally different from what she got in Deika city. While the city of her “ _origin_ ” had more kids messing around with their quirks without getting into trouble, here she didn’t see that many kids around.

It honestly felt less lively—but more busy— here than in Deika City, as if everyone was too afraid to do something that might get them arrested.

Tsumugi’s face changed as an hour later of walking, she finally reached her destination. An apartment block that looked plain as herself at the moment. The perfect place for someone who wants to get around without raising suspicion on themselves.

Everything looked similar and the grey walls made a great way to know who is in which apartment as long as you know where one person is residing.

A smile adorned her face as she quickly walked toward her apartment block. She went upstairs and to the right and reached the door, stood in front of it, and pulled the key from her pants pocket. She stepped inside and quickly looked over the things that are already there.

Walls painted cream and a wooden floor. From her position, she saw two doors. The one to the left leads to a small living room while the other leads to the kitchen area. The hallways that have the doors lead to more room, one of them being hers and another a guest room.

Tsumugi quickly walked toward her room and saw that it was the same room, at least in how it looked like, as it was back in Deika City. Some familiarity would be good, so she was happy with this discovery. Spraying the map open, she began to memorize the whole map of Musufatu just in case.

Then, she realized something. She would have to get along with her neighbors just in case someone tries to get in contact with her. Tsumugi quickly devised a plan for it.

_I just need to get in the good graces of some neighbors so I can be vouched for being a good person._ Human stubbornness was something incredible, more so when you think that what you are saying is really the truth.

She smiled, and quickly went back to look over the map.

* * *

She stared at the ceiling of her room thinking about her life. Tsumugi had just gotten out of the bath and was currently in her room, sitting in her chair while looking up at the ceiling. A book of the Liberation Army on the desk placed at the side while she reviews some notes she was given by the high-school in Deika City.

Yotsubashi was surely influential. Also, everything was mildly easy to learn. Maybe because of her talents?

~~Or maybe because Shirogane Tsumugi was created to be that way?~~

Sighing, she decided to see if she could found some neighbors to begin to create trust with. The sooner, the better. Standing up from the chair, she walked outside of the room wearing a blue hoodie and black pants. Her glasses falling a little bit each step she took forward, but pushing them back up wasn’t much of a problem.

Grabbing the knob of the front door and whirling it around, she took a step outside to stared at the sunset. Seeing the giant orange ball in the sky reminded her about when Kibo practically dropped a boulder on her.

~~Danganronpa had been Tsumugi’s vocation and watching it die was something that brought her no hope at all, so it was for the best for Shirogane Tsumugi to die with Danganronpa. The lie was supposed to die, and the one behind said lie was to be released. Her father would’ve been so proud of what she’d accomplished.~~

Taking a deep breath, she heard a click coming from behind.

Tsumugi whirled on her feet and watched as a door to the left of hers opened up revealing a woman with a trash bag on her hand. The woman had green-hair pulled in a tiny ponytail at the back of her head, a yellow T-shirt, and blue pants while wearing slippers on her feet.

“Oh!” The woman was startled at seeing her. “Who might you be?”

“I am the new neighbor,” Tsumugi pointed at her door, then she gave a kind smile. “I’m Shirogane Tsumugi, nice to meet you.”

“Midoriya Inko, likewise.” The woman—Midoriya—introduced herself as well. “How long has it been since you arrived at this apartment complex?”

“I’ve arrived just today, though my guardian is coming tomorrow to make sure everything is ok for me to stay at this place from now on.” Tsumugi explained, speaking the truth and no lie whatsoever.

She could gain the trust of this woman, who seemed kind enough to trust her if she could guess, and have some kind of back up in case someone suspects her.

“Whoa, you are really new to this place.” Midoriya muttered under her breath before offering a kind smile to Tsumugi. “Well, if you need help with anything you can also seek my help.”

“Sure, I’ll gladly accept your help if you have the time.” The blue-haired girl quickly said, with a smile matching the green-haired woman’s. “Also, do you know good places to buy groceries around here?”

Midoriya stared at her. “Don’t tell me you are also new to Musufatu. . .”

Tsumugi was new, but she also already knew where everything was thanks to her deep investigation of Musufatu before coming to the city. She simply wanted to gain moments to establish trust with a neighbor as soon as possible to ensure having that way out in case something happens, being crafty in alibis is something a mastermind should have.

“Well, I did say my guardian will come tomorrow to ensure everything is fine. Though, I don’t know if they will have enough time to teach me all the places I should know about.” Tsumugi rubbed the back of her face with a nervous face.

_Chitose-san will make things interesting,_ in which way even she didn’t know about. Curiosity whirled around in Tsumugi’s mind.

“I guess I could tell you if necessary. Which school do you go to?”

“I’m homeschooled. Next year is going to be my first year in a long time that I go to school.”

True enough to her words, Tsumugi and Yotsubashi talked about her backstory quite a lot in those six months. The story—the _official_ one and the one she had to adhere for the sake of being seen as a normal high-school girl—was that she had been homeschooled for her whole life except the first two and due to an injury she couldn’t attend school anymore.

Now, she healed and could go back, but because it was so advanced in the year she had to wait until high-school to go back.

_Fairly simple,_ she thought back then, _but simplicity is best when it can be flexible to avoid suspicion._

“Which high-school will you go?”

“U.A.” Tsumugi simply said, thinking about why Midoriya would care about such a thing.

“Oh, really?!” Midoriya gasped, a hand hovering over her mouth. “My son also wants to attend U.A. but. . .”

“But. . .?”

“He wants to enter the Hero Course.” Midoriya sighed, worry coloring her tone as she looked down.

Tsumugi knew that there was a deeper reason for her worry. A parent would be very much delighted to have a son or daughter to try for the hero course, as it was a sign of pride in this day and age. Though not all quirks could be used to combat villains, some can be used to shield civilians from harm. There was something else going on here. . .

“Midoriya-san,” Tsumugi got the attention of the woman. “Is there something the matter about your son going to U.A?” ~~Built trust, built trust. You want to have it, go gently on the civilian woman!~~

“Is just. . . I don’t think he has a lot of chances in getting on the hero course.” Midoriya admitted. “My son had a lot of things in his mind, but after the villains’ attack with the sludge, he began to change. So I need to have hopes that at least he will try his best in achieving his dream, one way or another.”

“That attack. . . I’ve read about it. All Might was there to save your son, right?”

Midoriya nodded.

“So his name was the one who was not disclosed.”

“Thank god for that.” Midoriya breathed out, her sweat dripping down her brow. She clutched the trash bag before taking a deep breath and exhaling it. She moved to the right, and her eyes went wide for a second before Tsumugi heard the voice of a boy.

“Mom?”

Tsumugi whirled around and found herself staring at who could perfectly be the son of Midoriya- _san_. Curly green hair and round eyes, light-blue shirt, and black shorts while wearing red snickers.

“Izuku, meet our new neighbor.” Midoriya waved at Tsumugi, who simply extended her hand.

“Shirogane Tsumugi, nice to meet you.”

“Ah,” He realized and quickly extended his hand, though a bit awkwardly. “Midoriya Izuku, likewise.” They both shook their hands and Midoriya-san spoke once again

“Izuku, please take this to the trash, I need to make dinner.”

“Oh, sure!” He grabbed the trash bag.

“Can I make you company while you throw away the trash?” Tsumugi quickly spoke to Midoriya—the boy, since the mother already went back to the apartment and she should probably just call the woman Inko from now on—and he reacted immediately.

“W-w-what?” He stuttered his words, not knowing what to say and a faint flush colored his cheeks. He seemed to be trying to articulate his words, but they didn’t come out as though something was blocking them. After a few moments, he took a deep breath and asked, “You want to accompany me?”

“Yeah, it would be good to have a friend that also wants to go to U.A.” Tsumugi crossed her arms in from of her chest, looking rather pleased with the thought of it. Of course, it would look like that if you saw it from an outside perspective.

She was simply establishing a conversation to get to know him.

~~He’ll do just fine.~~

“W-which course are you going for?” Midoriya asked, again stammering. They both walked outside of the complex and arrived at the trash compartment that was shared by all of the neighbors of the building.

“The general course, I simply want to live a simple life,” Tsumugi answered nonchalantly, a gentle breeze pushed her hair. “I heard from your mother that you want to go to the hero course.”

“Y-yes, ever since I was a kid I’ve always wanted to be a hero. I’m a huge fan of them!” stars began to appear in Midoriya’s eyes like a meteor shower, obviously showing that he has great admiration for heroes. Though it felt deeper than that.

~~Those are the same eyes Tsumugi had while thinking of Danganronpa.~~

“Then you should be able to get in the hero course!” Tsumugi declared, and she can see something bubbling up inside of the boy. His eyes showed startled then surprised expression, and then he asked.

“You think I can do it?”

“Of course! You need hope that you can achieve it, the hope of being able to achieve a dream from childhood, isn’t that great!?”

“Yeah, it would be great.” Midoriya said staring at his hand.

“Then, work hard to achieve your dreams!”

“I’ll do my best!”

_His hope is great, if I can groom it to be the next symbol of hope in a way, then everything will work out. And if he fails, he can simply go and join despair, either works for me._

Tsumugi smiled at his words as they continued to talk as they walk back to Midoriya’s apartment.

**Author's Note:**

> Idea that I had in mind after watching V3 and noticing how technically ambiguous is Tsumugi, so I wanted to write a fic about her where morality is normally brought into question.


End file.
